Wang Dejia, Shi Weihan Released on Bail

May 5, 2008

State security officials in China released Internet essayist Wang Dejia (whose pen name is Jing Chu) on bail on January 12, the Chinese rights advocacy Web site Minsheng Guancha reported on the same day. The report said that Wang had been released from the Quanzhou County Detention Center in Guilin city, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Wang was originally detained in Quanzhou on December 13, 2007, on suspicion of "inciting subversion of state power."

State security officials in China released Internet essayist Wang Dejia (whose pen name is Jing Chu) on bail on January 12, the Chinese rights advocacy Web site Minsheng Guancha reported on the same day. The report said that Wang had been released from the Quanzhou County Detention Center in Guilin city, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Wang was originally detained in Quanzhou on December 13, 2007, on suspicion of "inciting subversion of state power." Wang has written and posted numerous articles on the Internet criticizing the Chinese government and Communist Party and has also criticized China's hosting of the Olympics, which takes place in August of this year. According to Wang's wife, as reported in a January 17 Agence France-Presse article (via The China Post), authorities released Wang on the condition that he cease posting essays critical of the Chinese government. She said they required Wang to sign a pledge not to write any more and told him not to speak to foreign journalists.

While released on bail, Wang's case could remain open and subject to further investigation and prosecution for up to a year. Under Chinese law, being released on bail is referred to as having "obtained a guarantor pending trial" (qubao houshen). Article 58 of China's Criminal Procedure Law (CPL) provides that "[t]he period granted by a People's Court, People's Procuratorate, or public security organ to a criminal suspect or defendant for awaiting trial after obtaining a guarantor shall not exceed twelve months..." Article 58 also requires officials to continue "investigation, prosecution and handling" of a case while an individual is released on bail and to terminate such status if officials determine that the individual should not be investigated for criminal responsibility. During the period that Wang is released on bail, he must observe certain restrictions, including obtaining the government's permission before leaving his city or county of residence, according to Article 56 of the CPL.

Also in January, Beijing authorities released bookstore owner Shi Weihan on bail after detaining him for "illegal printing and distribution" of religious literature, according to a January 7 press release (English, Chinese) from the China Aid Association (CAA). According to CAA, authorities decided not to formally arrest Shi because of "insufficient evidence" and released him and two dozen others allegedly involved in the case on bail on January 4. Shi was originally detained on November 28.

For more information on China's imprisonment of online critics and punishment of citizens who publish religious materials without permission, see "Internet Censorship" in Section II - Freedom of Expression and "Religious Speech" in Section II - Freedom of Religion, in the CECC's 2007 Annual Report.